Mogan Mountain is located in Deqing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province. Alongside Beidaihe Scenic Area, Lushan Mountain, and Jigong Mountain, it is renowned as one of “China’s Four Major Summer Resorts.” Spanning 43 square kilometers (approximately 10,625 acres) with an average elevation of 500 meters (1,640 feet), Mogan Mountain is celebrated for its dense bamboo forests, scattered villas of diverse architectural styles, and captivating legends
1. A Sea of Green in Moganshan
Moganshan is blanketed by bamboo forests, with lush green bamboo covering the entire mountain peak, creating a tranquil and serene atmosphere. Trees, bamboo, grass, and the mountain itself form a verdant “ocean” for visitors to admire. Hundreds of springs and waterfalls make this mountain a perfect summer retreat. As the saying goes, “Mornings feel like spring, evenings like autumn,” Moganshan maintains an average summer temperature of just 24°C. Its clouds take on extraordinary shapes—sometimes resembling cotton balls, other times draping the peaks like ribbons—often forming spectacular seas of clouds.
2. Moganshan Villas
Hidden amidst bamboo groves, these villas may surprise visitors. With over two hundred distinct structures spanning European, American, Japanese, and Russian styles, Moganshan has earned the reputation as a “World Architectural Museum.” Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, Nordic, Southern European, American, and traditional Chinese architectural styles dot the mountain landscape. Most of these villas were built in the last century and once served as residences for numerous prominent figures, including former Chinese Communist Party leaders Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, former Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek, former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk, and former Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh. Today, these historic dwellings remain well-preserved and open to the public.
3. Legends of Moganshan
The captivating legends of Moganshan are another major highlight. It is said that during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BCE), a master swordsmith couple named Ganjiang and Moye were commissioned by the emperor to forge their finest swords within three months. They chose a sacred spot deep within the mountain for their work. However, they encountered difficulties during the forging process. The wife, Moye, cut off her own hair and nails and threw them into the furnace. Ultimately, they forged two swords, naming them Ganjiang and Moye respectively. The husband presented the Moye sword to the emperor. To prevent anyone from forging a sword superior to Moye, the emperor had the husband killed. Upon hearing the tragic news, the wife embraced the Ganjiang sword and plunged into the forging pond. To honor the couple, the mountain was named Moganshan, and the pond became known as Jiantan (Sword Pond). For this reason, Jiantan has become a must-see attraction for visitors.